Tuesday, May 2, 2017

50 Things You Can Get Free or Cheap This Year

What’s extreme frugality? It’s taking the steps that
others might find odd but have the potential to put some breathing room into
your finances and monthly budget.

A few ways to practice extreme frugality

Mix
up your food shopping habits

It may seem easier to buy all your food from a single
traditional grocery store, but there’s money to be saved by shaking up your
routine. Go ahead and poke your head into ethnic stores, and you’ll be unlikely
to leave empty handed, as certain foods such as meat and produce can be less
than half the price of your regular store.

Expiration dates? Take them with a grain of salt. Confused
by the ‘sell-by,’ ‘best-by’ and ‘expiration dates’ on your food? You’re not the
only one. Americans waste an estimated ‘8 million pounds of food
annually’due to these vague and
unregulated terms, so don’t assume that the date on your food products are set
in stone. Use your common sense when it comes to tossing food, and make sure to
check out this article by food
waste author Jonathan Bloom for more
details.

Also, try eating in season. And no, this doesn’t mean you
should only shop at elite farmer’s markets. It means to enjoy your corn
mid-summer when it’s 10/$1, fill up on apples in the fall and enjoy your
asparagus in the spring. Not only will you be buying when produce is at its
lowest price, you’ll also enjoy the natural seasonality of food like your
grandparents did.

Institute
a restaurant ban

I’m not one to argue that eating out isn’t one of life’s
greatest pleasures, but if you’re unable to pay the bills, it might be time to
take a break. However, you do need to be a realist about those inevitable busy
nights, or you’ll find yourself falling back into old habits. Whether you’re
stockpiling a few lasagnas in the freezer, stashing a couple of pre-made meals
or accepting that it won’t kill you to serve a simple meal of scrambled eggs,
it’s important to have a backup plan in place. Don’t worry, those restaurants
will still be there when your credit union balance is back up again.

Tinker
with your utilities

You may cringe when you get your monthly utility bills in
the mail, but with a few simple changes you can take charge of your utility
accounts.

Switch your lights over to LED bulbs. Gone are the days
when these energy-efficient bulbs cost $6 apiece, and if you look around you
might be able to score them for free. I filled out a home energy use survey through the Energy Trust of
Oregon a few months ago, and was
mailed a big box of free bulbs. A quick look at other states’ electric
company websites show similar
programs, many of which offer free in-home energy audits. These are great, as
they can be utilized by both home owners and renters!

Few of us earn different amounts based on the seasons,
which is why it makes sense to switch to an equal-pay utility program. These
programs even out your monthly bills, so you’ll make the same payment every
month. Years ago, my husband and I switched to an equal-pay program and have
really appreciated that we’re no longer blindsided by $350 gas bills after a
January cold snap or a swelteringly hot August. And the best part is that one
bill per year either charges extra or debits any overpayments, and we’ve always
received the debit!

Give,
receive and swap

The Buy Nothing Project is working to connect people through the gifting of free
wanted and needed items, and there’s likely a chapter in your area. Organized
through Facebook, you can look for a group in your area by typing ‘buy nothing’
plus your city, town or neighborhood in the Facebook search box. I’ve both
given and received items ranging from a computer charger to a gallon of milk.
It’s free, and you can specifically ask for what you need, want or even simply
wish to borrow.

Don’t have a buy nothing group in your area? That’s okay,
as you can ask your Facebook friends if anyone has whatever extra doohickey
that you’re looking for. Most people are happy to share their excess stuff, so
don’t be shy. Many communities have swap gatherings where people bring a
certain category ranging from clothing to baby items or even simple household
belongings. Participants take what they want and then donate the leftovers to
charity. People get to freshen up their wardrobe (or home) without spending a
penny, and it’s a great option for setting a few gifts aside as pieces are
often brand new! Want to know how to host a swap? Oprah’s got you covered

Check
out what your library has to offer

You already know that your local library has free books,
but you did you know that they’re likely to also offer free e-books,
audiobooks, e-magazines, DVDs, Blu-rays, tutoring, foreign language instruction
and much much more? Libraries are a great resource for people who’ve had to
cancel paid TV subscriptions or Amazon Prime streaming TV.

Hoopla.com can replace paid subscriptions to Audible.com for
audiobooks, Pandora.com for streaming music, Netflix.com for streaming videos
and even Amazon.com for e-books.

Overdrive.comcan also replace Audible.com for audiobooks and Amazon.com
for e-books.

Stop
buying disposables

Although I’ll never suggest that you switch to reusable cloth toilet
paper, there is money to be saved
by letting go of most other disposable products. You might be tempted by the
pictures of pretty reusable paper
towels on Pinterest, but it doesn’t
have to be so complicated. Launderable rags made from stained old T-shirts or
ratty old towels make perfect paper towel replacements, and can be stored out
of sight. Then bust out those cloth napkins and dish towels and you’ll be set!
Stop buying facial tissue.

Grab a stack of handkerchiefs from grandpa’s estate for
the occasional sniffle and upgrade to a roll of toilet paper when you’ve got a
genuine cold.

Make the switch to a menstrual cup. Let’s face it, it’s expensive to buy menstrual products every
month, and when you consider that a menstrual cup costs just $30 and is a one
time purchase, it’s a little easier to get past any squeamishness.

The one exception: Here’s how to make a
disposable razor last 12 months!

Fix
instead of replace

If you’re broke, it’s time to start repairing instead of
replacing your stuff. Let go of broken
things being an excuse to treat yourself to something new. So get out that
super-glue, dust off that sewing kit and familiarize yourself with the endless
number of YouTube videos that can walk you through even the most complicated of
repair processes.

Cut
out booze and soda

If you’re struggling to make ends meet it’s time to take a
cold carbonated
hard look at the money you’re spending on beverages. This might be a painful
step, but extreme frugality takes sacrifice and it’s hard to justify soda and
alcohol when having enough money for living expenses is unsure. So brew up a
batch of iced tea and raise a toast to frugality.

Free
up your entertainment

Having a limited budget can make it a challenge to get out
of the house for fun. However, with a bit of research and creativity, there are
plenty of fun things to do when your wallet has developed an echo. First off,
make it a habit to grab any free publications that might advertise local
events. Concerts in the park, outdoor activities like hiking and picnics
require no money, plus your library is always a great resource for free
activities.

One of my favorite things to do is to attend author
readings in bookstores, which are interesting yet don’t cost a penny. Have a
hankering for a museum visit? Check in with your library to see if they have
cultural passes, as many of them do. Invite friends over for a potluck game
night. Have everyone bring a dish and then choose a game like Cards Against Humanity or maybe something a little more PG. Either way, it’s not
necessary to spend a ton of money when enjoying the company of family and
friends

Hang
dry your laundry

Whether you hang a clothesline in your backyard or set up
a clothing rack for indoor/outdoor use, you can save big money by air drying
your laundry. And as an added bonus, your clothing will last longer and you
won’t accidentally set stains with the high heat of a dryer.

Foster
frugal friendships

It can be hard to stay within your budget when your social
circle seems to thrive on recreational shopping and elaborate weekend brunches.
Instead seek out like minded people whose idea of socialization is to meet up
for a coffee or go for a walk together. “Keeping up with the Joneses” is more
prevalent than ever in today’s social media culture, but it doesn’t have to be.

Use
up every drop

You’ve paid good money for your toiletries and household
supplies, so make sure that you know how to access every last dribble. With
nothing more than a sharp pair of scissors you can get days or even weeks more of product from the otherwise
frustrating packaging. (You can even double your investment, by simply cutting
certain items in half!)

Make
more money

Cutting spending to a bare minimum is all well and good
when times are tight, but sometimes the answer lies in scraping up some extra
cash. Whether you’re selling unused belongings, participating in a focus group or picking up a side-gig, there’s never a time when a few extra bucks doesn’t come
in handy.

Conclusion

Life can be hard when money is tight, but that doesn’t
mean that you’re without options. There are ways to adhere to an impossibly
tight budget without sacrificing fun. And maybe you can even find satisfaction
in the creative challenge that comes with a limited budget. After all,
necessity is the mother of
invention.

Katy Wolk-Stanley, a.k.a. The Non-Consumer Advocate is a
Portland, Oregon based RN and writer who describes herself as a utility bill
scholar, library patron, laundry-hanger-upper and teenage boy wrangler. She’s
been featured on The Today Show, The NY Times and The National Enquirer.

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